North Carolina Seminar Testimonials

“I learned a great deal!! This was a life changing and challenging seminar. It will help me and countless others that I will deal with years to come.” – Thomas Puckett, Counselor/Social Worker/Minister/ Nursing Home Administrator, Asheville, North Carolina (07.29.13)

“Good integration of behavioral and psychodynamic traditions. Good exposure to understanding underlying mechanisms of anger. Enjoyed presenter’s use of interactive techniques to both examine and experience principles and ideas.” – Will Ray, Clinical Coordinator, Caring for Children, Asheville, North Carolina (07.29.13)

“This is great information to incorporate into my work with people regarding relationships.” – Lisa Wolfe, Counselor, Asheville, North Carolina (07.29.13)

“This workshop was very useful. It completely changes the way you think about bullying.: – A.W., Social Worker, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.03.11)

“All of the anti-bullying programs increase bullying and promote tattling. This approach teaches using common sense to reduce victimization. Schools need to be exposed to this information to help victim-proof schools.” – Kimberly Haydt, Counselor, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.03.11)

“This was great! The information will really help me to help empower my students and help them solve their own problems. Thank you!” – Megan Thompson, Counselor, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.03.11)

“This program just makes good sense. When are those that make decisions and policy going to get it? Valuable information to share with administrators, parents and teachers.” – Debra Kaclik, Educator, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.03.11)

“Very clear and made complete sense. I don’t understand why schools and others don’t have this understanding.” – Karen Heilkamp, Social Worker, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.03.11)

“Izzy’s approach is refreshingly honest and effective! I now have the vocabulary and techniques for educating my students, parents, and teachers. I am more deeply committed to doing what feel right to best help my clients rather than following the dictates of erroneous anti-bullying programs. Thank you!” – Marcia Rogat, Counselor, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (3.2.11)

“Clear instruction, very practical approach to helping clients deal with bullying. Very unusual to find a seminar provide so much practical and useful information.” – C. Mark Knecht, Psychologist, Asheville, North Carolina (2.09.11)

“Thank you. Your presentation was helpful and clear. Your teaching style kept me focused, made me laugh, and provided info I felt I can use right away.” – Katie Hornowski, Social Worker, Asheville, North Carolina (2.09.11)

“It’s wonderful to have focused on wisdom rather than merely ‘intelligence’ in this program’s philosophy. I work with adults and couples and will certainly make use of today’s material. Thank you.” – Jennifer Daigle, Counselor, Asheville, North Carolina (2.09.11)

“Excellent presenter, kept my attention. I will be using these concepts and techniques with a couple who called for emergency help during the seminar. Very helpful.” – Marcia Davis, Social Worker/Marriage and Family Therapist, Asheville, North Carolina (8.10.09)

“I work in a youth development center (for adolescents). I know I will use the orle paling techniques with some of our angriest and saddest ‘victims.’” – P.S., Psychologist/Counselor, Asheville, North Carolina (8.10.09)

“Excellent presenter, kept my attention. I will be using these concepts and techniques with a couple who called for emergency help during the seminar. Very helpful.” – Marcia Davis, Social Worker/Marriage and Family Therapist, Asheville, North Carolina (8.10.09)

“I would like to thank Izzy for this information. I learned a lot from his demonstrations and role play that he involved us in. I would recommend him again due to his wonderful teachings. Great job Izzy!” – Wendy Perkins, Intervention Specialist, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (9.04.08)

“The instructor was very effective in presenting the material. His perspective was enlightening and will be very useful in almost any setting (school, residential group homes, foster homes, and at home).” – Shelly Allen, Case Manager, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (9.04.08)

“Was great having significant amount of the presentation’s focus on the practical application. I came away feeling equipped to help my clients who see self as victim–young and old.” – Social Worker, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (9.04.08)

“Good use of humor. Inspired me to get my family laughing! Good use of humor. Role-plays really brought game to life.” – William Dibbert, Raleigh, North Carolina (5.6.08)

“Izzy was terrific, engaging, competent and just seemed persuasively outstandingly effective and an all around endearing fellow. The seminar exceeded my expectations. As a clinical psychologist for 36 years, I came wanting instruction about anger control and I got it for myself and for my clients.” – Richard Lucas, Psychologist, Raleigh, North Carolina (5.6.08)

“Terrific seminar! I would love to review the importance of humor once a year. The game is a tool I will use in my practice and personal life.” – Donna Evans, Social Worker, Raleigh, North Carolina (5.6.08)

“This course gave me a lot of insight into how to navigate through the waters of my personal relationships, let alone my relationships with my patients.” – Vernette Alexander, Psychologist, Raleigh, North Carolina (5.6.08)

“Thank you! This was very enjoyable. The role play was very helpful. I can see myself doing these with clients in the future. It will also help in my personal relationships. This is a great exercise to use in my newly-acquired anger management therapy group!” – Jennifer Meyer, Psychologist, Raleigh, North Carolina (5.6.08)

“Much of what I heard today is what I’ve always tried to convey to clients–that they are in control of themselves and must take responsibility for their own actions and that responding with anger is counterproductive (‘kill them with kindness’). But I’ve found some new ways to present the premise and how to show it working through ‘the game’. Helpful!” – Susan Powell, Social Worker, Raleigh, North Carolina (5.6.08)

“Outstanding reality based presentation, which was honest about some of the few limitations of some of the strategies with given populations. Thank you for the quality of the presentation.” – Mary Alice Garrison, Mental Health Clinician, Charlotte, North Carolina (9.25.07)

“Mr. Kalman did an excellent job in keeping the group focused on the topic at hand (for example –presenting one or two participants from dominating the day with argumentative responses or personal opinions. There’s one in every crowd!!) Very practical, logical responses to bullying. Children want to be empowered and this is a tool to help them be so. I would recommend this seminar to others!” – Carrie Richardson, Case Manager, Asheville, North Carolina (6.22.06)

“Great job. He really does a great job at teaching us that bullies are everywhere. We need to tolerate each other and stop this victim-victim aggression cycle. Izzy makes a new paradigm understandable. Best seminar I’ve attended in years. His use of role play as great.” – Doug McKee, Psychologist, Asheville, North Carolina (6.22.06)

“One of the best courses I’ve had in 35 years! Brilliantly simple, compassionate and effective.” – Lynne Schwab, Social Worker/Educator, Asheville, North Carolina (6.22.06)

“Well done – turning what is frequently perceived to be such a complex problem into such a simple, elementary solution. It makes one wonder why it isn’t considered basic, common sense. Should be a prerequisite for anyone who has or interacts with children. (Also reminds me of books by Anthony Wolf – just great!)” – Debbi Kassin, Social Worker, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (2.23.06)

“Izzy is charming, funny and uses a wonderful and refreshing blend of common sense and wisdom of the ages in solving everyday problems!” – Jane Clunie, Psychologist, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (2.23.06)

“Thanks for a class that helps us teach our kids to stand up for themselves and not be victims. Kids must have skills to deal with life, which is not fair. We have to stop teaching our kids to tattle and empower them with the tools and ability to function successfully in society. Thank you for going against the grain of popular theory and practice.” – Cynthia Cheers, Counselor, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (2.23.06)

“Excellent presenter. Although controversial ways to handle a current problem area; helped me to see that in some ways adults are part of the problem!” – Ronne Jackson, Counselor, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (2.23.06)

“The seminar was very helpful. It validated a lot of conclusions I have reached over the course of working with children and people for over 30 years. I feel as if I have concrete things to take back to use at our school.” – Martha Lee, Educator, Charlotte, North Carolina (2.22.06)

“I am very excited about trying this method – I feel this is a life skill – not just a bully/victim skill, it is more about getting back to the basics with today’s kids. I have used the ‘bird’ story from your webpage and kids found it helpful.” – Laurie Harper, Counselor, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (2.21.06)

“Role play was very effective teaching tool to let us see benefits. Love the ‘whiney’ song.” – Mona Dooley, Counselor, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.31.05)

“Izzy is very funny and makes a very difficult topic interesting. I will use his perspective an tools in my personal and clinical interactions.” – Deryle Hunter, Social Worker, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.31.05)

“Very entertaining and informative speaker; learned new anger control techniques I plan to use immediately.” – Eleanor Castleberry, Psychologist, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.31.05)

“Thank you for including humor throughout the day, great training. The role playing was great as well.” – Erin Concelman, Social Worker, Charlotte, North Carolina (3.31.05)

“My favorite part dealt with ‘Freedom of Speech’. I’d never given thought to concept being angry at what client is saying is denying their ‘freedom of speech”. – Nancy Stewart, Corporate Services Coordinator, Asheville, North Carolina (3.23.05)

“Refreshing course. Common sense strategies that empower rather than victimize and disempower. Thanks!” – Robert Goodman, Social Worker, Winston Salem, North Carolina (3.22.05)

“Mr. Kalman was well prepared and gave an excellent presentation. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and learned a lot regarding ways of helping difficult populations.” – Laura M. Barry, Social Worker, Raleigh, North Carolina (3.21.05)

“Very useful as an alcohol/family counselor in a treatment center for minimum security prison population for women. They see themselves as either victims of others/life and/or themselves. Blame is universal with them.” – Charlotte Green, Family Program Coordinator, Raleigh, North Carolina (3.21.05)